Fishing is one of the oldest vocations and avocations. In the last fifty years or so the equipment and fishing techniques have evolved into increasingly sophisticated products and strategies for catching fish. Bait fish seek water at a certain temperature and water depth. The big fish follow them to feed on them. Numerous electronic devices have been provided to detect water temperature variations at different depths, to locate schools of fish at different locations and to provide a read-out of underwater topography where fish congregate. Modern trolling motors allow both large and small fishing and commercial boats to move at slow and controlled trolling speeds through the water.
It is preferred to equip trolling boats with the ability to fish with more than one fishing rod at a time in order to multiply the number of possibilities for catching fish simultaneously or in close sequence to thereby increase the chances of catching fish. Fishing boats are often equipped with mounting tracks along their port and starboard gunnels and across the transom top board to thereby enable fishermen to use more than one fishing rod, because many rod holders will fit into the track. Usually the track is mounted to the boat permanently. When so equipping fishing boats for use with multiple fishing rods deployed, it is necessary to be able to adjust the holders into which the fishing rods are telescopically inserted, handle end first, so that their respective fishing lines deployed from the tips of these rods do not interfere with each other. Moreover, different fishing techniques require that the fishing rods be tilted at different angles about both vertical and horizontal pivotal axes of rotation, as in dipsy fishing where it is desirable to have the rod extended at an angular range about a horizontal axis ranging from a vertical or upright position to a full-down position parallel to the water surface. The ability to adjust the angle of repose of the fishing rod while removably mounted in a holder greatly facilitates use of a variety of different fishing lures as well as trolling devices such as planer boards, and also accommodates various trolling techniques.
Although hitherto a variety of different types of fishing rod holders have been provided in an attempt to accommodate most if not all of the aforementioned usage parameters, there remains much room for improvement in such devices. For example, there is a need to improve the ease with which the rod holder can be adjusted both about a vertical pivot axis as well as a horizontal pivot axis and to be held securely at any adjusted selected position in the angular range of such pivotal movement. There is also a need for improvement in the locking system provided in the rod holder device from the standpoint of strength and elimination of play and slop in the various locked positions of the device.
There is also a need for a ratcheting type rod holding device that would allow the rod holder tube to pivot about a horizontal axis and be quickly pulled upwardly through a range of locking positions, and yet locked against down movement when released to set the holder at the desired angular inclination. Such a device would enable the rod holder to be quickly pulled up by the fisherman to make it easier for the fisherman to get his fishing rod out of the holder when a fish strikes, but also which would securely retain a given angular rod attitude if a fish strikes while the rod is in the holder.
There is also a need to provide an improvement in the ability to track mount the holder and to provide a track configuration cooperative with the holder base that would enable the rod holder mechanism to be removed easily after use and stored in a secure location out of the weather and thus protected from salt water corrosion and contamination. There is also a need to provide a reliable means for retaining the fishing rod in the holder that is simple and adjustable.
With all of these needs there still remains the overall need that these needs be met with an improved rod mounting and locking mechanism that is strong enough to take the loads of big fish and heavy sinkers on the fishing lines even when trolling at relatively fast deep sea sport and commercial fishing speeds.